Perez attributes crash to pushing too hard

Sergio Perez attributed his crash during qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix to pushing too hard as the rain intensified.

On his final lap of Q2, Perez ran slightly wide out of Turn 5 and spun off in to the wall, resulting in him dropping out in 14th place. With Q3 then delayed for 40 minutes due to heavy rain and standing water, Perez said as the conditions worsened he tried to push to find more time but was confident the car wasn't too badly damaged.

"The conditions were getting worse, the rain was coming a lot more, so I was trying to push," Perez said. "The car was really difficult, I couldn't find any lap time and I knew I was on my last lap so I really pushed a lot to try to find a bit more lap time and I went a little bit on to the kerb and I lost the rear.

"I think it looked bigger than it was, actually. I just hit a little bit of the wall and there was not really much I could do. As soon as I lost the car I went straight in to the grass and then I hit the wall, but the car is not really damaged so I am looking forward to tomorrow.

"I saw the front wing and a little bit on the rear suspension. Unfortunately with my guys we were planning some dinner today and hopefully we can make it to say goodbye to all of my people!"

Perez said ultimately the crash was a result of the car not being competitive enough.

"I think the strategy that we did was the right one but the car was just not responding at all. I think we got the pressures wrong because the track was at its best on my first timed lap and I couldn't find any grip; I was really struggling to find any grip out there.

"It was getting wetter - the track was a lot wetter - and the car was not responding at all. So I was trying my best out there to try and find some lap time but I just couldn't find any grip at all and I really struggled this afternoon."